March 31st, 2010 
AstroNerdBoy xxxHOLiC Manga Chapter 203
SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:
The young kitsune drops by to pay Watanuki a visit and brings a box of tea castella that he made. Watanuki samples one and compliments the young kitsune, who wants to put these on his father’s stand to sell. The young kitsune lets Watanuki know that he’s going to get his father a new apron, which he will buy with the funds from the cakes he’s made, and tells Watanuki this is a secret. Watanuki promises to keep the secret and tells the young kitsune that he thinks his father will love the new gift.
That evening, Doumeki pays a visit to Watanuki. As it is March 3rd, the Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival) and also Doumeki’s birthday, Watanuki gives a little snide remark about the date. Doumeki gives a dissertation on how this is also the Peach Blossom Festival and how peach blossoms exorcised oni (a type of demon in Japanese culture) and ill will. He continues to say that this is why Momotarou (“Peach Boy”) is an oni hunter.
With that, Watanuki produces a ring to Doumeki as a birthday present, stating that with getting rid of evil in mind, the present will suit him quite well.
Thoughts/Review: This is kind of an odd chapter to me. I have the strangest feeling that time has moved forward again, but I can’t be sure of that. I say this because I felt sure that CLAMP had things set up for Watanuki’s birthday to be celebrated and not Doumeki’s. So I thought it was already late March when in fact it is now early March. So I could have just misjudged the time.
Second, it almost seems like Doumeki is out of college but again, I may be misreading things. Sometimes, CLAMPS way of wording things doesn’t make much sense on a chapter by chapter basis, but when put together with the rest of the story arc, they do make sense. Either way, Doumeki comes across as older somehow in this chapter. I think it is the clothing. *lol*
It was nice seeing the young kitsune again. I would have thought him to be a bit bigger by this time since it has been a few years since the start of the manga. But, as a magical creature, I suppose that doesn’t matter since the kitsune could very well age differently.
Not much else to say as I’ve no idea where CLAMP is taking things. I can’t wait to see Himawari-chan though, whenever CLAMP brings her back.
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Indeed, did seem like Doumeki is out of college, and running the shrine as well…
The CNET translation cleared some things up. While CNET doesn’t always get things right, he’s more right than wrong. In this case, CNET’s translation said this:
Doumeki: Sorry I’m late.
Watanuki: Did you stop by your place?
Doumeki: Yeah.
Watanuki: I can’t believe you weren’t even planning to go home today until I mentioned it.
Doumeki: It’s not like they mind.
Watanuki: I bet the dinner they made tonight was full of things that you like, though, wasn’t it?
Doumeki: Yeah.
After Doumeki’s exposition, CNET has Watanuki say this.
Watanuki: I guess you aren’t a university student for nothing, huh.
Of course when I wrote this article, I didn’t know about CNET’s translation and so I went with what I had, which unfortunately wasn’t the best. π
For 204, I did consult CNET’s translation and things made much more sense.
Hey, I just wanted to say that I just bought Vol.15 which contained the whole “Do Not Eat” arc and ends with Yuko’s disappearance. I actually think the whole thing flowed better as a volume that reading it as weekly/monthly (?) chapters since the volume had two major things going on and we see Watanuki transitioning into the role he currently takes in the manga.
I’m actually surprised we’re not that far behind since you wrote about those chapters about a year ago.
I haven’t picked up volume 15 yet, but that’s something I’ll look for.
I know for “Negima!,” the Mahora School Festival arc kinda dragged in places during the week-to-week reads. However, whenever I go through it now, it flows quite nicely and does some nice character work.
So in that light, what you say about the “Do Not Eat” arc in “xxxHOLiC” makes sense to me.
As to our not being that far behind, “xxxHOLiC” often went on hiatus as CLAMP focused on “Tsubasa.” As such, not as many chapters were created, which is why the move of “xxxHOLiC” to a monthly magazine should mean steady chapter releases, but only twelve a year. I’ll talk more about that in my 204 review.